South of Brooklyn
by Katrinka and Nori
Summary: Spot's ready to pass on the cane and his second in command isn't happy. Please read, I really like it even if it's a little cheesy.


Heya, just Nori today. I found this from like last year and decided to just post it so yeah….

Don't own anything.

What happens when a fearless leader passes on his power? A new leader would be appointed, of course and that leader will be expected to be fearless as well. But what if this new leader had a secret, a secret so huge it made up his entire life? Well if that were to happen we would have a story, now wouldn't we?

Spot Conlon sat on his throne of crates, thinking. He knew three things for sure, 1) Eighteen is too old to be a newsie. 2) I need a replacement. 3) I know just the man for the job. Spot had been thinking about retiring for about a year and had been grooming his second in command to take his place. The problem was that Spot knew that his second didn't want to be in command, as odd as that sounds. South had always hated the spotlight ever since they were little kids. He would hide behind Heavy or Yankee (the two largest newsies) or even behind Spot himself because he was small enough. South had always been small ever since the day Spot found him in an alley.

FLASH BACK

Spot (8) and his friends Heavy and Yankee (Both roughly 8) were walking down the streets of Brooklyn selling their papes, November (Current Brooklyn leader) didn't let anyone under ten sell alone. While Yankee and Heavy compared sling shots Spot wondered about somewhat separate form them. That's when he found South.

"Hey Guys," he called to his fellow Brooklynites from an alley. "I think I'm gonna need some help."

"What'd ya find, Conlon?" Heavy asked.

"A kid," he answered, absently.

"Is he alright?" Yankee asked as he and heavy neared Spot and the body.

Spot bent over to check if the smaller boy was breathing.

"Well he's breathing," Spot said, picking up the boy's small hand in his bigger one. "Should we take him back to November?"

Heavy looked at the boy more closely. "Naw," he replied. "He's too small; he wouldn't make it as a newsie."

Spot nodded with a frown. But as he began to remove his hand from the boy's the boy tightened his grip on his hand. He had a strong grip. Spot looked at the boy's eyes that were now opened a crack and he saw something in his eyes. Determination.

"I think we should take him back," Spot said, looking up to his friends.

"You sure?" Heavy asked, looking skeptically.

Spot looked up sharply. "Do I look like I'm kidding?"

Heavy and Yankee exchanged looks of "Oh-For-The-Love-All-That-Is-Good-And-Holy".

"Okay," Yankee said, shaking his head. "But you get to explain him to November."

* * *

November looked from Spot to the newly awakened boy that sat on the old couch in the lodging house.

"So what's your name kid," he asked looking at the small boy.

"Aaron Rith," he murmured.

"Where are you from," November asked.

"South Jersey."

"How old are you?" November asked, continuing his slow interrogation.

"Five," one sharp look from November. "Four."

"You know kid," November said looking at Aaron with narrow eyes. "You half the size of my smallest boy, why would I let you stay with us?"

Aaron looked like he was thinking for a moment then he beckoned November down to his level.

"I will work harder than any newsie you have ever known. My father always said "there's nothing more powerful than a short man with something to prove" and I have something to prove."

November and Aaron stared at each other for several seconds, Spot looking at them the whole time. November looked up so that he could see Spot's eyes and smiled.

"You picked a good one Spotty," he said looking back to Aaron. "Take him to meet the others, introduce him as South."

END FLASHBACK

Spot walked through the crowd of boys to his personal room to think. He sat there for about an hour. Part of him felt that he shouldn't leave South here by himself, after all they were verging on a war with Queens. On the other hand none of his other men were qualified to lead the Brooklynites. He shook his head.

"Heavy," Spot called through his door. "Get me South!"

"You got it!"

* * *

South walked up the stairs knowing that no matter what this was it wasn't going to be good. Spot would reward in public but would punish in private. He said that it was so he could make the punishment personal but South knew that he was trying to be a fair leader. South took a deep breath, one, two, and three, let's go.

"You wanted to see me," South said, walking into the room.

"I need you to do me a favor," he said with his back turned so that South could see only his back. He then took out his cane.

South's eyes widened. "No Spot, no, no, no!" He said, shaking his head. "I know what you're thinking and I'm not doing it."

"South you're the only one right for the job," he replied, in a calm voice.

"No I'm not Spot," South said, trying to make him see what he was saying. "Choose Bravo or Rats, anyone! Just not me, please not me."

"Bravo and Rats are both too old, they'll be gone before they do any good for Brooklyn."

"I'm too young, I'm only fourteen! Even you were fifteen when you became leader."

"No South," he said, turning to face him forcing his cane into South's hands. "You are the best for the newsies, best for Brooklyn! This is going to be my last choice as leader, I'm choosing you."

"But Spot you need to know I-" he had no time to finish his sentence, Spot had already walked out of the room. He was heading to the common room, were the boys were.

"Boys," he said in a reserved voice. "You all know I'm getting too old to be a newsie. You also know that when I leave there's going to be a new leader," a small pause, "and that new leader will be South."

This was said just as one startled looking South walked down the steps, cane in hand.

_Cheering_

One Brooklyn sized party ensued.

* * *

Spot sat on his throne for what might be the last time, he then heard foot steps approaching, foot steps that he knew very well.

"Evening, King of Brooklyn," he said to his heir.

"You know I was going to leave about the same time as you. I didn't want to be leader Spot, you knew that."

"I know, that's why you need to do this."

South made an aggravated noise.

"Spot, I can't do this."

"You will!" Spot shouted back at him. "You will because you have other choice!"

The two young men glared at each other in silence for a few minutes before South spoke.

"I will lead your men under the condition that you check in on us if things ever start to look too bad."

Spot nodded and spit shook with the boy that he had come to see as a little brother.

"Spot before you go, I'm-"

"You'll do fine," Spot interrupted him then gave South one last pat on the shoulder and walked away from his life as King of Brooklyn, forever.

* * *

Two months later

South paced up and down the hall of the lodging house. Being leader sucked, plan and simple. Queens was getting more and more violent every day. Not one of his newsies sold alone, especially the younger ones. _"I need help!"_ he thought praying Spot some how heard his thoughts.

* * *

Two weeks later

"South," a voice from the past.

South looked down from his throne of crates.

"Spot," was his cold greeting. He leaped down the stacks of crates. When he landed he took out the cane that the previous leader had been so famous for and tapped it slightly as he walked. He looked to Spot with a look of distain. "So you decided now to show up now. Council is in one day, we're this-_this_-close to a war with Queens, and you show up now."

"I think you can handle it," Spot said with a shrug.

"You think I can handle it! I don't know what you've been doing sense you left but I'll tell you what Queens has been doing. They've been gathering allies, weapons and-and heaven knows what else! We aren't ready for a war Spot. We're scared."

"Brooklyn doesn't scare," Spot said sharply.

"Maybe the great Spot Conlon doesn't," he said, in a voice so angry and bitter it made Spot glare right back at the new King of Brooklyn. "But his troops-his _ex_-troops-do scare."

South grabbed Spot's shoulders and brought him down a foot so that there was less of a height difference.

"We're scared, Spot." He said in a clear voice. "I'm scared, this war is gonna force me to show a side of me that none of you've ever seen. A side that you should never see!"

"Oh please," Spot said rolling his eyes. "I found you when you were four, what secret could you have that is that bad?"

South bowed his head and sat down on the dock.

"I…I don't spell my name with an A."

Spot looked at his friend and tilted his head to the side. "What does how you spell your name have to do with this?"

"I spell my name E-R-I-N you…boys…boys spell it A-A-R-O-N."

Spot looked like he had been slapped across the face.

"You mean you-you're a girl?"

"Last time I checked, yeah."

"No way, no how," Spot said, shaking his head.

"You want proof?" he-SHE-said, cockily reaching for the hem of her shirt.

"NO!" Spot exclaimed, turning a bright red. "No, no, no you're like a brother, er sister to me."

"I know," she said smiling. She then looked to Spot, expectantly. "Well?"

"Well what?" Spot said, raising an eyebrow.

"What's the plan? You have a plan, right?" she asked, nervously.

"Well no, I wasn't planning on you turning into a girl if that's what you're asking!"

South sighed.

"Well, what do you think I should do?"

"First things first," he said, rubbing his forehead, forcing his brain to work. "You've gotta tell your boys."

"Are you out of your MIND?!" She asked in him, shocked.

"Don't you trust your men?"

"As a guy, heck yea! As a girl, no-firkin'-way!" She answered in a "well duh" voice. "I've lived with these guys for ten years; they'll feel up anything with a skirt!"

"Don't wear a skirt when you tell them," he said, in an obvious voice.

"You know that I hate you, right?" she asked him as she put her head in to her hands.

"Yeah I know," he said with a smirk. "Come on, let's go tell'em."

* * *

"…so when November kept thinking that I was a boy I didn't argue. And here we are." South finished her telling her story to a group of slack jawed boys and closed her eyes waiting for the worst.

"So," Yankee said, slowly grasping the words "girl" and "leader" in the same sentence. "You're a girl and you've been lying to us for ten years."

"Well when you say it like that…" South shook her head and began to speak again. "I know I've lost some trust and I know you'll never look at me the same way again-" "I'll say!" "But I'm still South and I'm still your leader."

The boys looked around themselves and to their "leader".

Heavy was the first to move he walked over to Romeo and told him something softly. Romeo then grinned and walked up to South.

"Let's just see if you're still you," he said, putting his hands on her hips. She then promptly punched him in the mouth. "Yeah," he said rubbing his jaw but smiling. "She's still South."

Spot smiled as he walked up to South.

"Alright if you're gonna beat Queens you're gonna have to use your biggest asset."

"We have assets?" Rats asked, with a smile. "I don't know if you know this or not but we have no one but Manhattan, The Bronx and Coney Island. Queens has got everyone else and I'm not ever joking on that one. So let me ask ya, what do we have?"

"We have your fearless leader," Spot said, smirking for all he was worth. "Who, in case you don't remember, is a girl."

"Wait that's your plan," South said, shocked. "Just tell them I'm a girl?"

"No," Spot said grinning. "We're gonna show them."

* * *

South looked at the supplies in front of her. Sighing she decided to take look at the world through the eyes of a boy, because if Spots plan worked she would never be seen as a boy again.

She walked through the maze of crates and trash on the docks. She sat down on the edge of the dock and took a deep breath. Ten long years of hiding and planning all for nothing. She heard steps approach and soon she saw Spot sit down next to her.

"Are you almost ready?" he asked, not looking to his friend.

"We're all ready," she answered, for herself and her boys.

"Did you tell Heavy, Yankee and Bravo to-"

"They'll be there, wide awake and fully aware," she answered before Spot could finish his sentence.

Spot nodded, "And you told Romeo to-"

"He's gathering our resources as we speak," she replied in her quiet voice.

"Did you send people to-"

"Echo and Gilley and on their way to tell Manhattan, Coney Island and The Bronx, they'll know the plan in time. Everything is ready."

"South," Spot said, in his "I'm still your boss" voice. "You need to know, no matter what happens I made the right choice choosing you as leader. You know these boys better than any one else in this world. We all talked it over, they want to keep you as their leader, win or lose."

She looked to Spot and smirked, "I don't plan on losing."

Spot smirked back at her, "Then let's get you ready."

* * *

Gilley and Echo were the fastest and smallest of all the Brooklyn newsies. They were twelve years old but very serious about their jobs. The one thing that you had to except with them is that they refused to work without the other. Their system was simple, Gilley would do most of the talking and Echo would back him up if necessary, but that is the only time that Echo would speak. They sold together and were extremely loyal to both Spot and South. When South confessed they were the first to except it and the first to defend their leader. At the moment they were running towards their first destination, Coney Island. They would then go to Manhattan and then to the Bronx. The Bronx was going to be the hardest to win over. Bass was known for never letting girls sell in his territory. He said every girl who got a sale was one of his boys not getting a sale.

Outside of the Coney Island of the Lodging house Gilley and Echo stopped and looked at each other. They knew that what they were doing. They were asking three of most well respected territories in New York to change the unwritten rules. A girl as a leader, madness!

"Hey Echo," Gilley said as they walked up to the door. "We're gonna do this, right?'

Echo looked at his friend and smiled his "You've got it brother" smile, putting out his hand to knock on the door.

Gilley smiled back and nodded, "Yeah, we're gonna do this."

With that the two friends knocked on the door with feeling the weight of Brooklyn on their shoulders.

* * *

Pokey (Coney Island leader) looked at the two small Brooklyn runners in shock.

"You mean to tell me that South, your leader, is a girl?" He asked just to make sure that he had gotten it right.

"Look Pokey," Gilley said in a hurried voice. "We still gotta run to Manhattan and the Bronx, all in two hours so that we have time to run back to Brooklyn so we can tell Spot and South who's in and who's out. Now you've gotta tell us, are you in or out?"

Pokey signaled to his right hand man, Hand. The two whispered back and forth for a few moments until they finally turned back to the small, swift Brooklynites.

"You tell your leader that if nothing else she's got Coney Island."

As soon as that was said the two runners jumped up and ran out of the building, they had places to be.

* * *

Kid Blink (Second in Command) shook his head as Racetrack (Leader) whistled lowly in amazement at Spot's plan and the fact that South was a girl. But no matter what the circumstances Manhattan always felt that they owed something to Brooklyn for their help with the strike so it was no surprise that Racetrack needed no time to discus it with his friends.

"You tell Spot and South that we're behind you, every step of the way," he said, Blink and the others nodding their heads in agreement.

Gilley and Echo nodded and ran out of the room, on to their last battle.

* * *

Base (Leader of The Bronx) looked from Echo's face to Gilley's face after they finished explaining Spot's plan.

"Brooklyn has always known how I feel about girl newsies," he said in a neutral voice.

Echo sighed and Gilley began to reason with Base.

"She won't even go into your territory," Gilley said. "We just need you to back South up in Council, that's all."

"You do realize you're asking me to go back on everything I've been saying for the last two years for some-some girl!" He spat out the last word.

When Base said this last part Gilley jumped towards the leader of the Bronx in an offensive way but Echo put his hand on the other boys shoulder and did the unthinkable.

"That _girl_ you are referring to is our leader," Echo said looking his elder in the eye. "And she will continue to be our leader, weather you help us or not."

After Echo said his bit the two friends turned and left the undecided Bronx leader in their wake.

* * *

Spot stood outside the room that use to be his own. _"Pleas let this work!"_, he was begging silently as two young boys ran in.

"What'cha got?" He asked the still gasping boys.

"Coney Island…Manhattan…are in…The Bronx is…iffy." Gilley gasped out.

"Alright," Spot said nodding. "That'll do."

The two boys started to walk away when Spot stopped them.

"Hey, why don't you go wish her good luck."

Echo and Gilley both smiled and knocked on their leaders door. It opened slightly then South's hand came out and motioned for them to come in. When they came in they were shocked to see South as a girl, in a DRESS.

"So what do you think?" She asked with a half smile.

"You look like a girl," Gilley said in shock.

"I do believe that was the idea," she said smiling at the boy.

At that time Yankee, Heavy and Bravo walked in.

"Whoa," Yankee looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head. "You look like a girl."

"Alright," she said chuckling. "I get it, I look like a girl."

"No," Spot said walking in to the room with most of the other Brooklyn Newsies behind him. "She looks like a leader. Are you ready?" He asked, looking to hew eyes.

"I'm ready," she said, pushing back her long-for-a-boy-but-short-for-a-girl hair.

She was about to walk out when she felt a small hand grab hers. She looked down to see Echo's intense eyes looking back up to her.

"Don't let the Leader of Staten Island near you," he said to her like a brother to a sister. "He's a dirt bag and he doesn't treat girls right."

South bent down and hugged Echo, burying her head in his hair.

"Thank you, little brother."

* * *

Boys surrounded South as they walked down the street. They didn't want anyone to see South until they were ready. The Brooklyn Birds were on full alert, looking out for anything out of the ordinary. By now it's probably best if you know Spot's plan so here it is: Go to the Newsie Council Meeting with South in a skirt. That was the easy part, the hard part was preparation. Romeo was in charge of talking to the some newsies who were loyal to Brooklyn, all those who were loyal to Brooklyn would help Bravo, Heavy and Yankee protect South incase of emergency. You see the Council was in Queens, so Spot was worried that they might decide to jump South at some point. After South reveals that she's a girl they probably wouldn't jump her but they might try to make her step down from her position as Leader. That is why Echo and Gilley went to speak to all their allies, to make sure that they would back South up if they tried that. After that it was up to Lady Luck.

"We're here," said Spot, he decided to walk the group over but he wasn't going in with them. "You guys keep a close eye on her. Don't let them get you down South, girl or boy you're still Brooklyn."

South nodded and walked into the Queens lodging house, ready to face whatever demons awaited inside.

* * *

Ross (Leader of Queens) was juggling quite a few things to day, he had newsies to greet, friends to catch up with, winnings from old bets to collect and he had to convince Coney Island, Manhattan and the Bronx to turn on Brooklyn, which was not going to be easy.

When he saw Manhattan enter he noticed that they were behaving oddly as was Coney Island.

"Recon," he said to one of his most reliable newsies. "Keep an eye on Coney Island and Manhattan, there is something going down with them."

For about twenty minutes everything was peaceful then the front door opened with a bang, Brooklyn had arrived.

The crowd of boys were still tight around South as Ross approached.

"Where's your leader boys," he said smirking. "To scared to show his face in Queens?"

"Don't you ever insult South," Heavy growled at Ross. "She's a better leader than you'll ever be!"

"What?" Apparently Menus caught the word 'she'.

"You heard him," South said stepping out from behind her troops.

"What is this, some kind of joke?" Ross asked, glaring at the girl in front of him.

"No, it's not," she replied taking out her cane. "I'm the same South I've always been, this is just the first time you've seen me in a skirt."

By now the room had erupted with whispers.

"I think it's time for the leader's meeting," Racetrack said, trying to sooth the commotion.

* * *

Inside leader's meeting

The leader's meeting consists of all the leaders (duh) of all the legions. There they would discus any problems in hope that those problems wouldn't cause wars.

"She can't be leader," Ross said in a most irate voice.

"But she's been leader for two months already and she's been doing a fine job," Pokey pointed out.

"But she's a girl," Ham (Long Island leader) said back. "It goes against the laws of nature!"

"She's been tough enough to handle being the only Brooklyn newsgirl," said Ritz (Leader of Staten Island (Yes the dirt bag)).

"We didn't even know she was the only Brooklyn newsgirl," Menus pointed out. "Nobody did, she's been lying to everyone!"

"Hey you know why she's been lying," Racetrack jumped in. "If he had known that she was a girl do you think November would have let her in?"

"No and that's exactly my point," Ross said, jumping out of his seat. "Girls weren't meant to be newsies! Or leaders for that matter."

"You may think that," South said, defending herself. "But my men are willing to fallow me so I don't see how your feeling about female leaders matters."

"Your newsies have even less sense than you!" Ross shouted at her. "They wouldn't know a leader if he hit them in the face."

"You shut up about my newsies!" South shouted in anger. Everyone at the table looked around in shock, South had never had a bad temper and hardly ever raised her voice above a whisper. "You can insult me as much as you want, but you keep your mouth shut about my newsies!"

"Well I don't need to insult your newsies to convince everyone else that you're not fit for command," he growled back. "I mean, what kind of man fallows a woman?" He laughed.

"Me," Base's voice cut through Ross's laughter. "Even if she's a girl, she's willing to defend her newsies and I know for a fact that they would defend her. If you are going to mess with Brooklyn you messing with The Bronx."

"Same goes for Manhattan, too." Racetrack said standing up from his seat beside South.

"Ditto," Pokey said.

"What the heck," Ritz stood up as well.

Pretty soon almost everyone was standing behind one amazed South.

Ross just looked at the group of newsies in front of him in shock.

"So this is it, huh?" He said, glaring. "A girl for a leader and of Brooklyn no less. Fine but when this all comes crashing down know that I'll be there to say I told you so."

"So it's decided then," Racetrack said. "South will continue to lead Brooklyn."

With that South rose and went out to the common room and smiled to her boys.

"We won this round boys."

_Cheers_

On the walk home to Brooklyn the happy group rand into Spot and told him the good news.

"I knew they would see it my way," he said smirking.

"I think you mean _my_ way," South smirked back.

"You're forgetting that it was my idea to make you leader in the first place."

"Which means you have good judgment but I'm still the best."

"What, I'm the best leader."

"No, you're the best _former leader."_

"_Ha, I'm the best period."_

"_yeah right"_

_And so went on the lives of the Brooklyn newsies._

* * *

_Yeah, not my best work but whatever. Review!_

_Bravo Yankee Echo, Nori._


End file.
